This is a pretty impressive solution to creating a permanent structure after a national disaster in very little time. Basically it’s an airtight tent that is erected with the help of an air compressor. The tent is made of lightweight canvas mat strips that are impregnated with dry concrete material that once wet will solidify into that shape indefinitely. The hardening time is only 24 hours, at which point the exterior shell can be drilled to install electrical and lighting.
Because the tent is set up airtight the interior is sterile after construction and ideal for an emergency medical facility. These structures can also be set up end to end to create one long building. The down side of these structures is the price tag which is currently $16,000 each. The good news, the designers say, is if demand/production should increase that price would come down significantly.
We really think this is only the tip of the iceberg for what the potential might be for this dry concrete canvas material. There are many construction applications a material like this would be an ideal solution to easily set up, then simply get wet for a permanent hold. We will definitely keep a close eye on this technology and see how new products develop. You can read more and watch the video of the complete setup on the BBC website.
